Grain weighing and registering apparatus



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

B. B. LEB & J. DOWNS.y GRAIN WBIGHING AND RBGISTBRING APPARATUS.

No. 367,985. Patented Aug. 9, 1887.

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B. B. LEB & J. DOWNS. GRAIN WBIGHING AND RBGASTBRING APPARATUS.

No. 367,985. Patented Aug, 9, A1887.

@13 @Honing W v @K/ UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

BYRON B. LEE AND JESSE DOVNS, OF NASHVILLE, MICHIGAN.

GRAIN WEIGHING AND REGISTERING APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 367,985, dated August 9, 1887.

Application iiled February 15, 1887. Serial No. 227,751.

To all 1071/0771, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, BYRON B. LEE and JESSE DowNs, citizens of the UnitedStates, residing in the village of Nashville, in the county of Barry and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Machine for Veighing and Registering, of which the followingis a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in machines designed to automatically weigh and discharge grain or other materials and register the amount of the same. Y

rIhe objects of our invention are to provide means whereby a continuons stream of grain is allowed to run into buckets alternately, the flow being shifted automatically upon the accumulation ofa certain amount, to which the machine may be adjusted; also, to automatically discharge the contents of said buckets and make a register of the same. Theseobjects are accomplished by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichm Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine embodying our invention; Fig. 2, a plan, with part ofthe frame and scale-beam broken away; Fig. 3, an elevation of the registering mechanism; Fig. 4, a central vertical section. of the shifting mechanism on a plane parallel to the bar E; Fig. 5, an elevation of thesame at right angles to the plane of Fig. 4, broken away to show the upper pivot on section; Fig. G, aplan of mechanism for operating shifting mechanA ism.

Like letters aud figures refer to like parts in all the figures.

Suspended within a suitable frame-work by means of hangers N are two scale-beams, F F, which pass through loops R to limit their movement, from which are suspended two buckets, A A, connected by rods I to the frame to keep them in position, which receive the stuft' to be weighed, which is to be conducted to said buckets by means of the stationary pipe D, the movable pipe C, and the divided pipe B, which latter is divided into. two branches, u u, atits lower end,which open into the respective buckets A A.

Pivoted between said hangers N are bellcranks O O, one arm of which is parallel, and connected to the scale-beams F F by means of (No modell link T, pivoted to each. rIhe othcrarm of said bellcrank rises vertically from the pivot, and is provided near the upper end with adjustable weights I), supported upon a bar having screw-threads engaging with similar threads in said weights. The upper ends of said vertical arms are extended horizontally to a point near the upper cnd of the movable pipe O, where they terminate in a vertical pin, which engages with a rod, r, extending through said pipe and projecting from its opposite sides. Frein the middle ot' said rod r rises vertically a pivot pin, c, which engages with a hole in the under side of a bar, s, extending across the axis of and secured to the stationary pipe D. Thus the upper end of the pipe C incloscs and revolves about the lower end of the pipe D.

Directly below the pivot s is thelowerpivot, S,which is attached to the pipe C, and placed a suitable distance outside the same to canse its lower end to swing from side to side of the pipe B, within which it is suspended by the aforesaid pivot. The bottom II is attached at one side by the hinge M, and when the bucket as empty is closed by the we'ght J, attached by the rod t and adjustable thereon, andr held closed by a pivoted hook, L, having an arm extending upward between the tracks G,which are pivoted at U and attached at their outer ends to the respective outer ends of the scalebeams F by means of rods Q, of such length that when said beams are down the tracks will incline outward, and when said beam rises the said tracks will be inclined inward or toward the buckets A.

K are balls which roll to and fro upon said tracks on their inward movement, striking the arms w and releasing the bottoms II, and on their outward movement striking the levers k, attached to a rock-shaft, q, which actuates a ratehet-wheel, b, by means of a pawl pivoted to an arm, t', upon said shaft, and having a weighted arm, j, to keep it in contact with said wheel. Said lever k is inclosed by a loop,l,to limit its backward movement, and pushed back by a spring, m, inclosing said loop. Resting upon the wheel b is a spring, g, to prevent its moving too freely. a is a screw to regulate the pressure of said spring.

f is a tape having a scale thereon spaced in conformity to the distance moved by the roll b' at each movement ofthe ratchebwheel, to which said roll is attached by a shaft passing through both. Said tape is delivered from a roll, c, passes partly around the roll b', with which it is brought in close contact by the roll c, journaled in slotted openings in the frame a. Said tape is thence conveyed to a roll, d, upon which it is wound by the action of the weight p,attached to a drum-cord, c, which is wound about a drinn, o, upon the shalt of the said roll d.

Instead et connecting the bell-cranks di rectly to the projecting ends ofthe rod 1,1' prefer to adopt the device shown in Fig. (5, in which the bell-cranks O engage with the levers ti, pivoted at G to a frame, l, which also snpports a segment-gear, 3, also pivoted to said trame I at 2, said gear engaging with apinion upon the upper end ol` pipe C, and actuated by the levers 5, which engage with pins i' in said segment-gear. XVe can by this means get a quicker movement ot' the pipe C `.rhen the beam F rises than by the other device.

rlhe operation of our invention is as follows: The grain or other stuit to be weighed and registered is allowed to tlow in a continuous stream through thepipes l), C, and B. It will pass through whichever division u that pipe C may be over and into the respective bucket A. \Vhen a sut'ticient amount has accumulated, which is determined by the adjustment ot' the scale, the scale-beam will rise, carrying with itthe bell-crank O and track G. The bell-crank striking against the rod r turns the pipe C upon the pivots s S and shifts the stream into the other bucket, and so on alternately. fin ease ofthe device in Fig. 6, the bell-crank cngages with the lever 5, and through it imparts motion to the gear (l, which in turn rotates the pipe C,by means ofthe pinion 4t, simultaneously with the described cut-oltmovement. rllhe outer end ofthe track l is elevated, the ball K rolls inward, passing under the lever without touching it, and strikes the arm w, releasing the bottom ll, which is opened by the weight ot' the contents ot the bucket, which contents are discharged in a body, and the bottom quickly restored to its former position by the weight J. lelievcd ot' its load the beam F now falls, which retraets the bell-crank to its l'ormer position and again inelines the track G outward, when the ball K returns. The track G now being higher at its inner end,each ball strikes the lever lt and moves the wheel I) one notch, which moves the tapej' one space of its scale by means of the roll b. All the parts are now ready to repeat the operation described as soon as the opposite side operates to shift the stream by operations already dcscribed. Each side operating alternately, as described, disposes ol" a constant stream ot' stuit without stoppage, weighs it accurately, and registers the total amount from a given time. At the end oi the operation, or from time to time, a crank cau be applied to the end of the shalt through the roll c and the register wound up.

Vhat we claim and wish to secure is as tollows:

1. In combination with ascalebcam having a bucket attached having a bottom adapted te open and discharge the contents ot' said bucket when released7 afpivoted track, and a ball adapted to roll upon said track and release said bottom, substantially as described.

ln combination with a scale-beam having attached a bucket with a bottom adapted to open and discharge the contents et sai d bucket, and a track carrying a ball adapted te traversc said track and release said bottom, and a register adapted to engage with said ball and indicate its movements, substantially as dcscribed.

3. ln a wcighing-nmehine, in combination with the scale-beam F Fand movable pipe C, the pinion 4t, segmcntgcar Il, pivoted lever 5, and bell-cranks @,substantially as described.

It. ln a weighingmachine, a shiftingpipe having a pivot within its axis at its upper end and a pivot outside et' its axis atits lower end, in combination with a stationary pipe above and a divided pipe below said shitting pipe, substantially as described.

5. In a weighiiig-machine, a registering` dcvice consisting ot' a tape, j', rolls b c l c, a ratchet-wheel, l), pawl lt, rock-shattq, springs g and m, lever 7s, and loop l, substantially as described.

(i. In a weighing-machine, a bucket suspended l'rom a scale-beam, having a hinged bottom, H, in combination with the weight J' and latch L, pivoted track G, ball K, sealebeam F, and rod Q, slibstantially as described.

7. In a weighing-machine, the combination ofbuckets suspended from scalc-bcams,ba`ving bottoms adapted to open when released and discharge the contents and again automatically close, a stationary pipe above said buckets, a movable pipe adapted to alternately connect said stationary pipe with said buckets, pivoted tracks adapted to tilt in unison with said scale-beams, balls adapted to traverse said track and release the bottom el' said buckets, and a mechanism adapted to register the discharges et the contents et' said buckets, substantially as described.

JESSE DOWNS.

W i tness( s:

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